Find out how popular the last name Perez Rivera is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Perez Rivera.

Perez Rivera, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Perez Rivera surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perez Rivera in America

Perez Rivera is the 56836th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perez Rivera surname appeared 359 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Perez Rivera.

The history of the last name Perez Rivera

The surname PEREZRIVERA has its origins in the Spanish language and can be traced back to the regions of Spain and Latin America. It is a compound surname, formed by the combination of two distinct family names: PEREZ and RIVERA.

PEREZ is derived from the Spanish word "Pero," which is a shortened form of the name Pedro. It was a common patronymic surname in Spain, indicating that the bearer was the son or descendant of someone named Pedro. The name Pedro, in turn, has its roots in the Greek name Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone."

RIVERA, on the other hand, is a toponymic surname, referring to a geographical location or place name. It is believed to have originated from the Spanish word "ribera," meaning "riverbank" or "shore." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near a river or coastal area.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname PEREZRIVERA can be found in historical documents from the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly in areas of Spain and the Spanish colonies in Latin America. One notable example is Pedro Perez Rivera, a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Manuel Perez Rivera, a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Puerto Rico from 1768 to 1776. He played a crucial role in strengthening the island's defenses against foreign invasions.

In the 19th century, Juan Perez Rivera, a Chilean poet and journalist, gained recognition for his literary works and contributions to the cultural landscape of his country. He was born in 1821 and died in 1890.

María Perez Rivera, a Venezuelan educator and activist, dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for underprivileged children in her country during the early 20th century. She was born in 1878 and passed away in 1951.

More recently, Carlos Perez Rivera, a Puerto Rican writer and academic, has been celebrated for his novels and short stories exploring the complexities of Puerto Rican identity and culture. He was born in 1957 and continues to be an influential voice in contemporary Latin American literature.

While the surname PEREZRIVERA has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its historical significance and ties to the Spanish-speaking world remain deeply ingrained in its origins and evolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perez Rivera

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Perez Rivera.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Perez Rivera was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Perez Rivera was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Perez Rivera, please contact us.

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